From the blog: Auld Lang Syne - The Chambana Mix

Each year around this time, I find myself watching one YouTube video over and over. It's called Auld Lang Syne - The Millennium Mix. It's a time capsule of sorts - some of the top soundbites from (mostly) American history from 1927 to 1999 set to Auld Lang Syne (you know, the song we all sing after the ball drops on New Year's Eve) by Kenny G. Watch the video below, and follow along with the clips here.

So this year I thought to myself...why not make my own Milleninum Mix? A look back at the top local news stories of 2017 - in audio form. So after two months of toiling, without further ado, here's Auld Lang Syne - The Chambana Mix. Follow along via the list below, which is in (mostly) chronological order.

:54 - former Illini football player Curt Lovelace, in a retrial, is found not guilty in his first wife's death. Lovelace has now set up a law firm in Urbana and has sued the city of Quincy. Thanks to KHQA for this clip.

:59 - U of I student Jonathan Morales dies after falling from a balcony on Unofficial St. Patrick's Day. Thanks to WCIA for this clip.

2:16 - Champaign County State's Attorney Julia Rietz, appearing on WDWS' Penny For Your Thoughts, announces that there is no criminal element to Centennial student Luke Miller's death. It's later revealed that Miller died of a heart defect.

Inevitably, some of you will reach out to me with something that I missed. I'll note a couple things. One, I had to whittle a list of news stories that was five pages long down to five minutes. And two, I tried to avoid duplication. For example, there was plenty of local outrage this year over Rodney Davis and Donald Trump. But I included one soundbite from Davis to leave room for other topics.

Nonetheless, let me know what you think. What did I miss? What was your pick for the top local news story of 2017? What headlines will we read in 2018? Don't think too hard...it's all in fun.